Forgiven
by the Prince's Jewel
Summary: Goten & Trunks story, companion-fic to Unforgivable, Kuro's Escape, and Costume Party. Angst & other unpleasantness, with moments of sweetness & light.
1. Innocent Beginnings

The two boys shrieked, racing through the sky over the younger's home. The younger had only a hairsbreadth lead, managing to avoid being tagged only by sheer acrobatic skill. The bright orange clothes he habitually wore made it easy to spot him from the ground.

"They're at it again," Chi-Chi said with a sigh. "Don't those two ever do anything but chase each other?"

Her husband choked on his noodles, then laughed. "They're just playing tag, Chi! Acting like any other boys their age."

"Other boys their age don't fly. Or transform."

Goku set his bowl down. "They're demi-Saiyans, Chi-Chi. You knew I was different when you married me! Why worry about it now? Isn't it a little too late?"

The shrill answer rose in the air. The younger of the two boys stopped abruptly, and the older careened into him. "Ha! Got you!"

Goten didn't answer. He hung limply, staring down at the tableau below. "They're fighting again. Come on, we better land. Mama's upset because we're flying." He plummeted to the ground, sitting cross-legged once he got there.

"What, does she do that a lot?" Trunks landed, sprawling himself across the grass. "That'd be real annoying."

"They fight because of me. Because I'm just like Daddy." Goten's lower lip trembled. "Mama says I'm a monster."

"Ah, gee, Goten! You aren't a monster! Where'd she get that idea?"

"Because I'm a super Saiyan. I can change. That makes me a monster." A single tear escaped. Goten wiped it hastily away. He was too old to cry now.

Trunks stared at him in disbelief. "But… but… you've been a super Saiyan forever!"

"Half my life," Goten confirmed. "Mama used to train me. Then one day, I went super. She called me a monster and told me never to do it again. She never trained me again after that. She stopped doing a lot of things that day."

"Like what? You were only six, Goten," thirteen-year-old Trunks pointed out reasonably. "It's not like there was much she could stop."

"She stopped tucking me in at night, or coming in to wake me up with a hug and a kiss in the morning. She stopped giving me hugs except when there was someone around to see."

Knowing how affectionate and tactile his friend was, Trunks frowned. He levered himself up and crawled over to Goten. He wrapped his friend up in a bear hug. "Sounds like you need a hug, Goten."

Goten hugged him back, briefly, then just leaned against him. "Thank you."

"GOTENNNNNN…. TRRRUUUNNKKKKSSSS!!! DINNERTIME!"

"FOOD!" The boys burst to their feet, racing toward the house.

Trunks watched his best friend all through dinner. He didn't eat even half as much as Trunks gobbled, and used much better table manners. That irked the young prince, and he minded his better once he noticed. Finishing, he turned to Chi-Chi. "Hey, can Goten spend the night with me? Mom won't mind."

"What about your father?"

"What about him?" Trunks replied flippantly. "He won't come out of the gravity room except to eat and boink mom."

Goten flushed. Chi-Chi gaped. Goku got another bowl of rice and started in on it. Trunks grinned. "And besides, wouldn't you like to have a night alone with your husband? Mom's always saying she never has enough of those."

"Trunks Vegeta Briefs!" Chi-Chi gasped.

Trunks grinned unrepentantly. "Aw, come on, Aunt Chi. I just got a new videogame, and I've got nobody to play against. Goten won't bother anyone, least of all Dad. As far as he's concerned, the world revolves around training, remember? If he even bothers to notice Goten, all he'll do is ask how his training is going."

After a few more minutes of cajoling, Trunks got his way. Goten jumped from the table and darted up the stairs to gather overnight things. "Oh, when is your mother coming to pick you up?" Chi-Chi asked.

"She didn't drop me off, why would she pick me up? I flew." If he hadn't been watching, he wouldn't have seen the momentary compression of lips before she smiled.

"Oh, of course. How silly of me." Chi-Chi began efficiently clearing the table. "You two have a good time."

"Oh, we will, don't worry about that." Trunks jumped to his feet when Goten reappeared. "C'mon, brat! I'll race you home!"

The two played tag all the way back to Capsule Corp. Bulma met them at the door. "Have you eaten? There's supper ready."

They looked at each other and grinned. "I'm hungry!" they chimed. After another satisfying meal, which Trunks noticed Goten ate more of, they retired to his room

"So, what's the new game?"

"Ah!" Trunks shut the door and locked it. "I lied."

"You _lied_ to my _mom_?!!"

"She'll never find out, and you know it." Trunks pinned him down to the bed. "Gotcha!"

"AHHHH!" Goten squirmed, trying to escape the other's fingers. "No! AH! Help! Stop it!"

Trunks grinned as Goten dissolved into helpless giggles, coiling into a ball as best as he could while still trying to get away. He wrapped his arms around his friend and planted a kiss on his nose. "That's better. I love it when you smile."


	2. Birthday Morning

"It's my birthday." Goten peered into the mirror, trying to tell if he looked older. He was officially a teenager now! But his mirror reported that he looked no older than he had before. After a moment of reflection, he wondered when he would start looking older. After all, his dad didn't look all that much older than he was… and neither did Vegeta, who was even older than his dad! "Damn. I'm going to look like a kid for the rest of my life! No one will ever take me seriously!"

He went back to Trunks' room. He'd spent the night with his friend, since his party was to be at Capsule Corp. Chi-Chi hadn't had any trouble getting Bulma to throw it for him, using the argument of not having enough space. He crawled back into the bed.

Trunks grunted. "Your feet are cold, dumbass. Get 'em off me." But he wrapped his arms around the younger boy anyway. "So? Do ya look older?"

"No. Come on, look at our dads. We're gonna look like kids forever!"

"Teens, not kids," Trunks corrected immediately. "And that's not a bad thing. The girls will love it."

"Well, yeah. I suppose." Goten sniffled. "I wouldn't know. I'll probably never know."

"High school, love, high school. The chicks will adore you. What girl can resist muscles covered by a mop of hair that begs to be tousled?" Trunks promptly mussed his hair.

"Hey!" Goten squirmed around to face Trunks. "That's not very nice?"

"I thought it was a compliment? After all, you are solid muscle," Trunks traced Goten's abdomen, , "with a pretty face and mussy hair."

"Awk!" Goten squealed. "Dammit! That tickles!" He twisted away, then pressed closer, so that Trunks wasn't able to move his fingers. "And I'm not pretty," he added crankily.

"Aren't you?" Trunks teased. "Even my father's been heard to describe you as that 'pretty-boy spawn of Kakarot's', you know."

Goten looked up. "_Vegeta_ calls me pretty?" he wailed.

"My father has good taste," Trunks replied with a grin, and kissed the tip of Goten's nose. "With the possible exception of clothing."

"You wore stripes with plaids yesterday. He always wears solids. Blue and black look good on him, and you know it!"

Trunks growled, and Goten found himself suddenly pinned beneath the older boy. "Have you been checking out my father, Goten?"

Goten managed a garbled squeak of protest before Trunks kissed him. He managed a muffled shriek, and Trunks pulled back, grinning. "Whassa matter, Chibi? I can't give you a birthday kiss?"

"What the… kind… birthday…!" Goten spluttered.

"A birthday kiss," Trunks repeated, his grin unrepentant. "Since your mamma isn't here to give you one."

In the light from the full moon, he saw Goten's face go suddenly tight, almost expressionless, before the younger boy turned his head. "Mother's never given me a kiss like that."

"Ah, hell. I didn't mean to make you cry!" Trunks dropped his head, nuzzling Goten's neck. "I'm sorry, Chibi. I shouldn't've brought her up." He sat back on his knees, hauled his friend against his chest. "Damn, Goten… is she still acting the same after all this time? I know we've been busy with school and all and that I haven't been down a lot… but… oomph!"

Goten clutched Trunks, his head tucked against the other's chest, choking back the tears he was way too old to cry. A few got loose anyway, and Trunks began stroking his hair. His voice was a bit strangled when he spoke. "Air, love, I need air! Oh, thanks." Trunks tipped Goten's head back, wiped the few tears away. "It got worse, didn't it, Chibi?"

"She's always yelling at Daddy for being an alien, for being stupid, for fighting all the time, for not having a steady job… not having _any_ job. And when he leaves to go look for work, she tells me in this perfectly calm voice that I… that I'm just like my father, and that I'll never amount to anything. I try, Trunks, I try so hard! My grades are perfect, my attendance at school…. And she looks at the grades and tells me that I'm a waste of space hic and unfit for living under her roof." Goten's voice broke on a sobbing hiccup.

"Chibi…" Trunks wrapped Goten tighter, then began stroking his back, trying to soothe. "Chibi, I'm sorry. I should have come more often, invited you over or something. Why didn't you say something before? I'd've helped!"

"Nothing you could do, Trunks. She hates Saiyans. She hates Daddy almost as much as she loves him, but she doesn't love me at all! Anyway, it seems like it. And then she'll yell at him for corrupting me with his music or fix all my favorite food, or something, and I'm not so sure."

"Have you ever told Gohan?"

"When could I? He's trying to work three jobs and still go to school. If he's not at work or school, he's either crashed, doing homework, or trying to train Pan to control herself! Her antics cost him over 12,000 zenni just last month! He's barely had time enough to even come home, and when he does, he has to deal with whatever Pan's done this time."

"What about your Dad?"

"Daddy understands, but there's nothing he can do. He said Mother wasn't always like this, and he doesn't know why she is now. Neither one of us… neither of us show our Saiyan sides around her anymore. We don't fly unless we absolutely have to, and we only train once a month together. We do everything the human way, to try and keep her calmed down… but it doesn't seem to help," Goten whispered forlornly. "She knows what we can do."

"Oh, Chibi…" Once again, Trunks tipped Goten's head. Gently, he kissed away the tears that flowed, the tip of the nose, the corners of his mouth. And slowly, he settled his mouth over Goten's, and began kissing him, making small teasing licks over his friend's mouth, and slipping his tongue inside as soon as Goten opened his mouth. He kissed Goten thoroughly, pulling away at last to realize he'd left the younger boy's lips swollen and nearly bruised. "Chibi…"

Goten let Trunks push him back down to the bed. He could taste the older boy still, almost expected another of those searing kisses. But Trunks lay down next to him instead, pulling him close and snuggling protectively around him. He closed his eyes obediently when Trunks told him to sleep, but lay there with his head spinning. _Why did he kiss me?_

Trunks stayed curled around Goten until the sun finally rose, unable to sleep. He didn't wake the younger boy when he crawled from the bed, knowing Goten hadn't slept much at all yet. He stared out the bedroom window towards the forest beyond, wondering why he hadn't noticed his friend's distress sooner.

Goten had told him, after all. He'd seen for himself Chi-Chi's dislike of Saiyan ability. Had seen her turn her back on her husband for doing something he'd done for years, while making a tight remark about what a normal man would have done. He'd seen her lips thin when he'd mention flying home - part of the reason he hadn't gone to visit for so long. He'd gotten an after-school job to earn enough to pay for his own aircar, since his mother had flatly refused to give him one.

He hadn't wanted to show up and have Goten's mother give him more grief. Trunks stole a look at the new teen sleeping on his bed, and smiled. Goten had gotten up at the stroke of midnight to go peer at himself in the mirror, to see if he looked any older. The birthday kiss…. Trunks' smile broadened. That, he'd been wanting to do for awhile. He just hadn't intended it to be for consolation.

"Poor Chibi. I'll come by more often. I'll quit the job as soon as school's out, and come see you all summer. Take you out camping or something. I promise, Chibi. You won't have to do it alone anymore."


	3. Birthday

It was a magnificent party. Goten smiled and smiled, thanking everyone and glancing occasionally at the pile of presents that was slowly forming. Bulma had invited every child in his school, or so it seemed, because he couldn't put names to most of the faces, and many of them were obviously younger than his class.

At last she came up and told him that everyone who'd said they would be attending had arrived. That meant cake, followed by the party games and entertainments she'd lined up. His favorite band performed a private concert; the singer inviting him up to take the mike. He chose to sing his favorite of theirs, a song not heard on the radio, and with no video he knew of. It was slow, sweet, almost sad, extremely intense. It was a song that suited his mood perfectly.

When the concert had ended, it was time to open the gifts. The pile had become a mountain. Goten waded into it almost reluctantly, his pleasant smile pinned to his face. He managed to come up with a pleasant remark to each new gift, except one. He pulled the paper from the last package, took one look at it, and flushed a brilliant red. The gift was hastily tucked behind his back.

"This one… I guess it's a gag gift from someone," he announced when he could speak again. "I'll just, um… Bulma, can you do something with this?"

She came up behind him, and he heard her startled gasp when she realized what he was hiding. There was a rattle when she snatched up some loose wrapping paper, and then she bore the gift rapidly from the room, the look on her face making Goten fairly certain he wouldn't be seeing that particular gift ever again.

After another round of refreshments, the guests began departing. Goten sank thankfully onto the closest chair, burying his head in his hands. "I never wanted a big party," he announced to the familiar looking boots that planted themselves in front of him.

"The woman does tend to go overboard on occasion."

Goten looked up to find Vegeta eying him critically. "Well, yeah. I think she outdid herself. I didn't even _know_ most of those people." Vegeta didn't move, still staring down at him. "Is… is there something wrong, Vegeta?"

The older man's mouth thinned briefly; Goten quailed. That, from his mother, meant horrible things. He dropped his eyes back to the prince's boots. "Have your father or brother spoken to you?"

"Huh?" He looked up again, puzzled. "About what?"

Vegeta tossed a small cube in his lap, scowling furiously. "Your present, boy."

Goten stared after him as he walked away, then picked up the data cube. He sighed a bit, and slid it into his pocket. Somehow, he doubted Vegeta's gift was the videogame he'd been wanting. He leaned back, pillowing his head on the chair cushion, his customary smile fading away.

His mother hadn't come. Or his father or… any of the people coming through the door. Bulma led them, a half-smile on her face. "I thought you'd prefer not to mix the children with these guys," she told him, flicking his nose lightly.

He greeted them all warmly, tearing into their presents as they gave them to him. These presents, from people who knew him, drew honest exclamations of delight, and one or two whoops of sheer joy.

This part of his birthday party was considerably more spontaneous. He kept one eye on Trunks, the other on his parents. Under their friends' eyes, he didn't _think_ Trunks would try to kiss him again, and wasn't really sure if he was hoping the other boy would or not. And under their friends' eyes, his mother would be nicer to his father, and act more loving towards them both than she ever did at home.

And indeed, she was coming, to give him a hug and a kiss and to cry about her baby growing up. He choked back his tears and managed to keep his smile in place, his voice breaking only a little when he said, "Aw, Mother, I grew up a long time ago!"

The sally met with laughter, but Goten was arrested by the look in his father's eyes. Pain, more pain than he believed it possible for one person to hide behind the smile that hadn't left his face. His father stepped forward then, wrapping him in a one-armed hug. His voice, too low for the others to hear, was choked. "Happy birthday?"

He turned, wrapping his father in a big hug. "It's okay, Daddy. I'm used to it." He knew his father would understand what he meant, and he wasn't wrong. Goku returned the hug whole-heartedly, and Goten knew the brightness of his eyes would be put down to the excitement of his youngest becoming a teenager.

His birthday seemed unreal, really. He couldn't quite decide if it was really happening or not. His father didn't cry. His father didn't seem sad, or in pain. And his best friend certainly _never_ kissed him. Except, his father was near tears, and he could still feel Trunks' lips on his own.

The sun went down at last. Goten slipped thankfully off to Trunks' room, knowing that he was to spend the night, again. He slid into his pajamas, then scooted himself over against the wall and buried his face in one of the pillows. Only one person hadn't showed up for his birthday celebration. Videl had presented him with a gift, and told him Gohan wasn't able to make it.

_Isn't that a shock? He works and works and then goes to his college classes, and then works some more. I'm surprised he saw Videl long enough to say that he couldn't make it! Then again, maybe he didn't, and she was just being polite. I'll probably get a belated birthday card with a check in it in a couple weeks, with a barely legible scrawled note saying he was too bushed too remember, just like last year._

He flopped over on his back, staring up at his reflection. _And why the hell does Trunks have a mirror on his ceiling, anyway? Oh, well, he _is_ a narcissist. I suppose it shouldn't still be a surprise that I can lay on his bed and see myself. He's his favorite damned thing to look at. Hell, he probably thinks of himself when he masturbates!_

That thought finally broke the funk he was in, and he watched his grin spread across his face, as his hands came up to stifle his giggles. Trunks came barreling through the door moments later, shedding his clothes as he headed for the bed. "That was _way_ too long! Who the hell were all those kids?"

The giggles escaped as Trunks slid into the bed beside him. "I 'unno. Your dad said your mom went overboard."

"Whoa, Dad talked to you?"

"Well, a couple words, anyhow."

"Happy birthday?" Trunks guessed.

Goten frowned. "Well, no, actually. I think he was the only one who didn't tell me that! Gave me a present, though."

Trunks propped himself up on an elbow. "My dad? The ever silent and ever disgusted with the Sons? Gave you a present other than the one Mom bought?"

"Yeah."

"What was it?"

"I don't know."

"Whaddya mean, you don't know?" Trunks howled, sitting up and grabbing Goten. "How can you not know? Didn't you open it?"

"He got me a cube, okay? I don't wanna look at it until I get home. I just… Trunks?"

Trunks still held him, but his face had gone pale. "Cube?" he squeaked at last. "Data cube?"

"Yes… is that bad?"

"Um, have Goku or Gohan talked to you?"

"He asked me that too. Talked to me about what?"

"Uh… you'll just have to see the cube. He gave me one when I was thirteen, too. Ummm… lock your door, face your comp away from the door, lock the door, and wear a headset. Matter of fact, don't look at it unless you do all that _and_ your mom's asleep."

"What? Why? What is it?" Goten sat up now, alarmed. "What's so horrible about it?"

"Your mother's reaction to anything Saiyan, love. _Do not_ let her see that cube. But make sure you watch it. It's real important, okay? Promise me."

"I promise." Goten's eyes darted to where he'd left the cube, his curiosity aroused. That cube would be the first of his presents he dealt with when he got home. He yelped when Trunks shoved him back down on the bed.

"Hey, now, don't worry about it. Tomorrow's soon enough to see it. Sleep now." Trunks curled up next to him, using Goten for his pillow. "I had to hide from the girl gaggle. There were just too many of them!"

Goten laughed, and mussed Trunks' hair. "Sleep sounds good," he agreed.


	4. Older than dirt

The cube was the first thing Goten wanted to look at when he got home, but it wasn't possible. He'd had to bring all his gifts home in a storage capsule, and the gifts had overflowed his room when he unencapsulated it. Naturally, the gift he'd thought he'd never see again was the one that went rolling out the door to land at his mother's feet.

She bent and picked it up, her lips thinning and eyes narrowing. "Just what is this?" she hissed.

"One of my presents, probably," Goten answered, kicking a few other items back into his room without looking up. "They went everywhere when I opened the capsule."

"Someone gave you a box of sex toys for your birthday?"

Goten froze in the act of reaching for a gift that had gotten under the hall table. His mother's icy voice sent shivers down his spine, but the malice was what truly scared him. "Sex toys?" he managed, and looked up to find her holding the gift he'd believed Bulma had disposed of. "I thought that got trashed!"

He spent a moment in panicked silence, trying to decide what was expected of him. "That gift wasn't marked, I got it when the kids were there, before everyone else showed up. I had Bulma take it away, I thought she'd got rid of it," he said at last.

She said nothing, brushing him aside as she went into his room. He followed, watching in bewilderment as she began going through everything he'd gotten. He caught a glimpse of the cube when she moved to put some of the clothes he'd received in the closet, and quickly stuffed it into the pocket of his loose pants. "Um, Mother, don't you want me to put my stuff up?"

"I think I should ensure that nothing else you have is inappropriate. Get out."

He swallowed, and ran. Except for the cube safely in his pocket, there was nothing else he'd received that she would disapprove of. And it, she would have disapproved of because of the giver, without ever looking at the contents. He fled the house entirely, heading for the pool where he knew his father would be fishing.

Goten never even realized he was crying until his father wrapped his arms around him and began wiping the tears away. "Daddy, she hates me. What did I do wrong? I thought Bulma got rid of that present! I wouldn't have brought it home, I'd've thrown it away myself! Why doesn't she love me anymore?"

Goku merely patted his back, making soothing noises until he'd calmed down. "Sorry, Daddy. I guess I didn't make much sense."

"Not really. Wanna fish?"

"Sure." Goten chose one of the extra poles his father had brought, and cast the line in before settling himself comfortably in the grass. "Somebody from school got me a box of sex toys for my birthday."

Goku choked, then started laughing. "Well, at least you think it's funny! I thought Bulma had got rid of it for me, but it was in the capsule of presents when I brought them home… and it was the first thing Mother saw. She's going through everything else now to make sure there's nothing else inappropriate."

"Is there?" Goku asked with bright interest.

"No. I managed to grab the only other thing I thought she'd have fits over."

"Oh, what's that?"

"A cube." Goten fished it from his pocket and held it up. "Vegeta gave it to me."

"Vegeta, huh?" Goku sighed. "Yeah, your mom would take anything he'd given you. Saiyan taint, and all that. That's why all I got you was those T-shirts. Nothing bad about them."

"Why does she hate Saiyans so much, Daddy?"

"It isn't just Saiyans, son. She's none too fond of Nameks, either. She used to be so sweet. Overprotective, but sweet. Maybe it was just being married to me that changed her. I was always fighting, or training, always gone or dead. Piccolo kidnapped her baby, and I insisted that she let him live with us for awhile when I came back from… hmm… where was I that time? Dead, or training in space?"

Goten smiled, then changed the subject, looking uncertain. "Daddy… Trunks… he um… he kissed me."

"Kissed you?" His father, sprawled in the grass next to his pole, sat up to look at him. "Did you like it?"

Goten's mouth dropped open as he stared incredulously at his father. "Um, Dad? He's a guy. Aren't guys not supposed to kiss?"

"Oh, right. I forgot about that." A faint trace of something crossed his father's face, then he grinned again. "I think it doesn't matter too much if you kiss a good friend. I saw Yamcha kiss Krillin once when they'd had too much to drink and were in really good moods."

"Oh, yuck! That's just… yuck!" Goten screwed his face up in an expression of sheer disgust. "Yamcha and Krillin? EWWWW!"

"Well, that's kinda what I thought, but everybody laughed. Even Vegeta, so I figured it had to be okay."

Goten scowled. "It figures he would. Trunks says he calls me your pretty-boy spawn. I suppose that's his way of not mistaking me for Gohan."

"Oh, probably." There was a momentary pause. "Vegeta calls him my… oh! 'gutless waste of sperm', or something like that. Geeky waste of sperm? Anyhow, Vegeta doesn't seem to consider him worth anything. I guess he values your looks."

"What? Oh… yuck. That's just… Vegeta? No. Nononono. That's just wrong, Daddy! Besides, he scares me. And he's older than dirt."

Goku fell back over, wrapping his arms around himself as he rolled back and forth, laughing so hard tears streamed down his cheeks. Goten watched him for a bit, and gradually began laughing himself, if not so hard. Vegeta would _kill_ him if he ever heard what he'd said about his age!

They spent a pleasant couple of hours fishing, and returned home to find Gohan passed out on the couch. "He came to see you," Chi-Chi said to Goten, "but he fell asleep waiting."

"Oh." Goten calculated rapidly, and came to the conclusion that he'd better wake his brother up. He did. "Hi, Gohan."

"Goten?" Gohan rubbed blearily at his eyes and looked at his watch. "Oh, I'll be late! Happy Birthday, gotta go!" He started for the door, then whirled to give Goten a quick hug and hand him a small package. "Sorry, bro." Then he was gone.

"Well, what did he get you?"

"I 'unno, gimme a minute." Goten ripped the paper from the small package and regarded the cube thoughtfully. "It's a data cube. He probably wrapped me up one of his lectures."

"You don't need to sound so disappointed," Chi-Chi said tartly. "Your brother is a brilliant lecturer!"

The room grew suddenly darker as the sun slipped behind a cloud. Goten stared down at the cube. "I know, Mom. I'll… go look at it now, okay?" He hurried towards the hall.

"Chi, you don't need to be so hard on him. He's a bright boy just …" Goten shut his door firmly on the conversation, sinking into the chair at his computer. Gohan's cube was dropped next to the machine, Vegeta's pulled from his pocket. The wrongness hit him then, and he turned.

His posters were gone. His music collection. Turning back to the computer, he realized most of his games were missing, too. His desk held only a textbook, and his bookshelves had been stripped of everything but classics… and even a few of those were missing. Leadenly, he walked to his dresser, then flung open the closet door.

His school uniforms, one _gi_, and little else other than very plain underwear. He walked to the door. Locked it. Shoved the bed in front of it. Turned his desk to face the door. Put his headphones on. Put in Vegeta's cube. Took the headphones off, and checked the plug for his speakers. Then sat back and watched the Saiyan Prince, and learned what he needed to be knowing.

He took that cube out after backing it up on the computer, and put Gohan's in. Found himself smiling. _Gohan knew… he knew. Vegeta must have told him, 'cause Dad was dead on his thirteenth birthday. I wonder when he found time enough to make this for me? Must have been in spurts, I can see how the recording jumps. Either that, or he thought he needed to change clothes a lot. Vegeta wasn't nearly so embarrassed!_

He took that cube out as well, and carefully labeled the two in careful block script. _Vegeta's Lesson_ read the first, and _Gohan's Lecture_ said the second. Goten dropped the two cubes into his nearly empty drawer, and sighed. _And the only thing I have to look forward to is a tail maybe appearing. Gods below, Mother will shit gold bricks if that happens. And cut it off. No way she'd let me keep it. I wonder if Trunks' has ever grown back? He must have had one when he was born, right? Gohan did. There's pictures of him with a tail._

One thing remained on his wall, a framed print of his brother and himself. Neither of them had tails in the picture, and Goten knew he couldn't have been more than a few months old. _But then again… there's not a single picture of me with a tail. Or of Trunks with one, either. Maybe we weren't born with tails?_

He moved the furnishings back where they belonged, unlocked the door. Slowly, he made his way down the hall to the kitchen His father was gone, but he'd known that. Goku had taken off for somewhere, he'd heard the thunderclap of air filling the space his father had shot through.

"Mother? Where are my things?"


	5. Just Things

Gohan groaned, realizing suddenly he hadn't had a chance to warn his little brother of what was on the disk he'd given him. "Man, if Mom sees that…" He sighed, cradling his head. The words on the paper beneath his nose blurred, and he wiped at his eyes. He still had a huge stack of papers to grade, and he had to get them finished before he went to job number three of the day.

"Gods, today has just been too long," he moaned. "I even had to miss the party… he probably thinks I gave him a lecture for a present."

His head popped up. "Oh, no! I hope I wrapped the right cube!" He groped frantically in his pocket, pulling out the cube in it and feeding it to the machine on his left. To his great relief, he'd wrapped the right one. He returned his attention the pages once more, and continued correcting them.

Four hours later, he stumbled into the small restaurant where he bussed tables most weekends. This job, at least, he could do mostly asleep. He also got a small percentage of the waitresses' tips, which certainly helped at home. On his break, he took the time to check his calendar to see where he was due next, and saw that he had the entire next morning free.

Which meant that when he left the restaurant tonight, he got to go shopping before he went home. He made up the list carefully, then double-checked the figures in his checkbook. He also had to go hunting. "I can do this… I have to."

A four hour shift that morning, then two eight hour ones. Gohan spent over an hour filling shopping carts at the grocers, and another two before he even sighted any game. He took it out easily, butchered it on the spot, and added the meat to one of the empty capsules he carried. He'd been gone from home for over 24 hours when he finally crept in through the door, and put away all the supplies he'd brought with him.

If it wasn't for the fact that he was simply too tired to sleep, he might have gone to bed. Instead, knowing his brother had likely gotten up, he went over and rapped at Goten's window. "Hey little bro," he said wearily when it opened. "I come in?"

"Sure. Gosh, Goten, you look dead on your feet!" Goten guided him to the bed and let him sprawl on it.

"I am. I'd be asleep now if I could be." Even as tired as he was, Gohan realized something was different. He sat up, slowly. "Where's all your stuff?"

A tight, suddenly heavy silence. "Oh, I outgrew it. Threw it all out."

"Threw it out?" Senses sharpened momentarily, taking in exactly what was different. "Even the game I got you a week ago? And the books you wanted so much just last month? The poster of that girl you thought was so hot?"

"Yes." Goten whirled, opening his closet to pull out a school uniform. Gohan blinked at how empty it seemed.

"You… outgrew all your clothes, too?" Gohan tried not to sound disbelieving, but there was no help for that. He didn't believe Goten. A person didn't just outgrow nearly everything they owned overnight.

"I guess."

"Goten… you just had a birthday. Why don't you show me what all you got?"

"Nothing much. Dad got me some shirts with my name on them, and I got that cube from you."

"What about your school friends, and Trunks? Didn't he get you something?"

"He promised me a camping trip."

Gohan waited, but his brother didn't say anything about the other gifts he'd received. "Go…" he started to say, but was interrupted by a massive yawn. His brother had left the room by the time he could see again. Gohan turned his head, burrowing into his brother's pillow, and fell asleep.

Something was shaking him. He roused slowly, seeing his brother again, and made an unintelligible noise.

"You got to go to work, don't you? It's almost noon."

The questions he had meant to ask flew from his mind. Gohan glanced at his watch and sprang from the bed. Within seconds, he'd gotten to his own house, changed clothes, and started off for work. He was half-way there before he realized he hadn't even caught a glimpse of his wife and daughter.

"I'll make it up to them. One day, when we aren't so strapped, I'll make it up to them…" he murmured, and landed on the building of job number one. The next sixteen hours would be a grueling attempt to stay awake and productive.

Goten watched his brother blur out of sight, and sighed. _Good thing he was so tired. He might have noticed just how much was gone… an' he noticed too much as was. I better take the cubes to Trunks' or something. I don't dare leave them here. I don't understand what I did so wrong!_

His chest tightened, and he fought for breath as he fought against the tears that threatened to spill. "I won't cry. I won't! It was just… things. Things aren't so important." He chanted that a few times, until the tightness finally went away. He turned to find his father staring around his room. "Hi, Daddy."

Goku didn't answer, just took another step into his room and turned a slow circle. "She took it all, didn't she? What did she do with it?"

"Burned it."

"Burned?" Goku settled to the bed, held out his arms. Goten collapsed into them, allowing the tears to fall. When they had begun to taper off, Goku said, "I'm sorry."

"Why? You didn't do it."

"If it wasn't for who I am, you wouldn't have the problem with her."

"No, Daddy… that's not true. She loves Gohan, and he's Saiyan, too."

"Gohan looks nothing like me. You… you do."

"It's not your fault, Daddy. I know it isn't. You weren't even alive when she stopped loving me. I was six. You didn't come back for a whole year after that. I was six."

There was a time of silence then, neither speaking. They merely held each other, the embrace more eloquent than any words possibly could be. Love and compassion, sympathy and regret, a silent commitment to each other. Goten released his father's waist at last and stood up. "Don't worry, Daddy. It was just things. Things are replaceable."

Goku stood, staring down at his young son with obvious pride on his face. One hand touched the boy's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you, Goten. You'll be a fine man, a strong one."

Eyes shining, Goten looked up at him. "Thank you."

"So… want to go fishing?"

"Sure! Oh. Um, can you take me to Trunks' first? I have something I want to leave with him." Goten went to the computer and pulled out the two cubes. "Please?"

"Sure. What's that?" Goku put an arm around him, raising fingers to forehead. He brought them out right next to Trunks, and it was his grip that kept Goten from falling into the pool.

"DAD!" Goten got his energy under control and hovered above the pool. "Hey! Trunks! I wanna leave these here, that okay?"

"Sure, whatever. Wanna swim?"

"No, I'm going fishing with Dad."

"You can join us if you want," Goku said when Goten vanished into Capsule Corp.

"Naw, that's okay."

"Why did you kiss him?" Goku settled on the edge of the pool, eyeing the water longingly.

"Wha…" Trunks' startled exclamation was drowned when he went under. He shot out of the pool a moment later, landing next to Goku. "He told you I kissed him?"

Goku looked down at the teen, an almost militant light in his eyes. "Do you love him?"

Trunks stared up at Goku, suddenly feeling very small. He very nearly summoned his power to him, then realized that would be a foolish move. "I do."

Goku nodded. "Good."

"You don't mind?"

"No. Chi-Chi will."

"She doesn't need to know. Besides, he doesn't love me."

"Ah…"

Trunks had glanced toward the house, but looked up at Goku when he sighed, surprised by the understanding in the tone. "Am I missing something?"

"No, Trunks." Goku turned to watch his son come from the house, a happy grin on his face. "Sure you don't want to come fishing?"

"Naw, I'd rather wait 'til I can take him camping."

Goku shrugged, and Goten grabbed his father's hand. "We better go back and tell Mother. She'll fuss otherwise."

"Later Trunks!" The two vanished, leaving a rather baffled Trunks behind.

"Well…" he murmured at last, "that's one thing I never expected. I thought his dad would have a fit."


	6. Tired Thinking

_Something was wrong. I don't know what exactly, but I know something was wrong. He couldn't have outgrown everything! He was dying for that game, jumped and whooped and everything when I gave it to him._ Gohan cleared another table, his mind more on the strangeness of his last visit than what he was doing. Which was normal, this job could have been done by an automaton.

He wiped the table clean, took the dishes back to be washed. Watched the girl start them, while he leaned up against the large fridge and scrubbed furiously at his eyes. _I hope Videl's holding up okay. She's got her hands full keeping Pan out of mischief. Where did that come from anyway? Goten and I were nothing like that as children! But Mom can't keep up with another demi-brat, she's too old, no matter what she says. And besides… I _know_ how she's been to Goten. I don't want to risk that with Pan. Even if Mom does seem to care about us… I can't help but think she'll turn on us too, one of these days._

The dishwasher flicked cold water in his face. "Huh?"

"Table seven, Gohan. Go clear table seven."

"I fell asleep again?"

"Yep. Go on, before the boss gets mad."

He went, knowing his little family needed every cent he earned and then some. He couldn't afford to be fired, even from a job that paid as badly as this did. Gina, the dishwasher, knew that, and helped keep him awake until it was time to go home. It wasn't the first time she'd woken him to send him out to get his job done. He cleared the table, pocketing the tip. Stumbled back to Gina and gave her a fresh batch of dishes to wash, then dumped the tip in the appropriate waitress's cup.

By the end of the shift, he was past exhausted. He pulled his calendar out and copied down the days he was to work over the next month, and made sure that none of them conflicted with the classes he was taking. Gohan didn't even realize it was payday until his boss handed him his check on the way out the door, and even then he had a hard time figuring out what it was he held. After a moment, it sunk in. He detoured past the bank, signing the check and depositing it in the ATM.

He went home, barely managing to stay above the treetops. This time, Videl was awake, waiting for him, and a hot meal waited on the table. "Hi."

"Oh, Gohan!" Videl approached and hugged him, then stepped back, worry plainly visible in her eyes. "Are you too tired to try and eat?"

It wouldn't be the first time he'd missed a meal in favor of sleep. Gohan considered the two options, then pulled the calendar from his pocket. "I have class in the morning."

"Is your homework done?" She was guiding him to the table, fixing him a plate.

He managed to propel some of the food in the general direction of his mouth while he tried to remember her question, and then figured out the answer. "Yes. All my homework is done."

"Gohan, honey… do you have to work so much? Can't you drop something?"

"Nuhnn…" He swallowed. "Still trying to pay off the debt of Panny's last adventure. And keep us in groceries. I don't know how Mom ever managed!"

"How about if I got a job? I could, you know."

"I know." Gohan blinked at his empty plate, absently wondering what he'd eaten. Videl refilled it. "You have the skills, and all, but who would watch Panny?"

"Couldn't your mother?"

_Mom_. Gohan pushed the plate away. "No, Videl. She couldn't." Slowly, choosing his words with care, he explained about his mother and her irrationality toward his father and brother. "I don't know why it doesn't extend to me, or Panny. And I don't dare risk that she might turn on us someday, too. I… I don't trust her anymore."

Videl pressed her hand to her mouth, her eyes widening in shock. "Oh, Gohan! I knew there was a lot of screaming and yelling, and that they hadn't been flying as much, but I had no idea…" She shook her head. "Well, that settles that. I'll stay home with Pan. But I'm still worried about you!"

The plate was pushed back under his nose, he began eating again. "I know, hun. But right now, there's no help for it. I have to work. I hate leaving you to deal with Pan, she's so strong I worry she'll hurt you without meaning to. I wouldn't mind having Dad watch her, but he's… well…"

"He's Goku," Videl said, laughing a little. "I understand. And my dad…"

They both began laughing. He yawned, which is difficult to do when laughing, then sighed. "I better go to bed. You… need anything?"

"Oh, Gohan, you're too tired."

"Not for that!" He yawned again. Grinned weakly. "Okay, so maybe I am." He pushed off the table, aiming for the stairs, and dragged himself to bed. _I am so tired of always be so very… tired_.

It hit him then. _Mom. She took his things._


	7. Forever Mine

"So, how about here? Your dad can be here in a heartbeat if we really need him, but it's way far away from everyone else!"

Goten looked around. Trees. Lots and lots of huge, enormous trees surrounding a largish pool with a waterfall big enough to stand under. A fish jumped. There was a clear space around the pool, if waist-high grass counted as clear, that went back about six feet. "I guess."

"Okay then." Trunks squinted, then raised a hand and ki-cropped the grass down to a couple inches. "There, that's better. Why don't you grab us some fish from the pool, and I'll set up camp?"

"You got the capsule of stuff," Goten agreed, and shed his clothes. He waded out into the water, then dove.

Trunks grinned, and grabbed Goten's clothes. He stripped, then put their clothes into the small capsule and hid it in a tree. What he'd taken out of the capsule he put at the base of the tree before gathering some rocks and sticks for a campfire, and fixing a place to sleep. Goten popped out of the pool not a few seconds later, and tossed a fish at him, then dove for another. Two fish later, he abandoned the water.

"Uh, I thought you were setting up camp?"

"I did. Fire, and spitted fish." Trunks sprawled lazily on the larger rock he'd found for a bench. "I never said it was going to be a Capsule Corp., Bulma-style camp, now did I?"

"No… where's my clothes?"

"With mine. Don't worry about them. We're going to be primitive savages all week."

"But… Trunks…"

"Ah, come on, Goten! It'll be fun. Besides, you haven't gotten to do anything for a long time. This is the last week before school starts up again. Let's just be Saiyans, okay? Be what you can't be at home. Be who you are. We'll fish, skinny dip, spar, hunt…" Trunks got up, going to where his friend stood shaking his head. He ruffled the younger boy's hair, then held him close, whispering in his ear.

"Don't you worry about anything this week, Chibi. I'm gonna take care of you. We'll sleep together just like always, the way we have since we were little brats. All you gotta do is have fun."

Goten's arms crept around Trunks. "Okay."

"Good. Gimme a kiss?" Trunks cocked his head playfully, grinning when Goten lifted his face, and then barely pecked his lips before turning him loose. "Fish's ready. You hungry?"

"Yeah." Goten joined him next to the fire. They sat companionably, quickly stripping the fish down to bones which they buried. "It's almost dark, Trunks. Where were you planning to sleep?"

"Oh, here." Trunks motioned to where he'd piled the grass he'd cut earlier. "Primitive mattress."

"Looks more like an oversized bird nest," Goten replied doubtfully, walking around it.

Trunks flopped down on it, and made chirping noises. Goten giggled, then made himself comfortable. Trunks promptly pulled him closer, spooning their bodies. "I like this better," he whispered, running his hand over Goten's chest. "Feels like I can protect you better if you're so close."

"I don't really need protected, Trunks," Goten protested. "I'm just as strong as you are."

"Ah, Chibi…" Trunks' hand drifted lower, stroking lightly over Goten's penis. "Are you?"

"Are you gonna stop if I say yes?"

"Probably."

"No." Goten wriggled a little, sighing with contentment as Trunks continued his light petting. "Feels good."

"You're pretty tense, aren't you, Chibi?" Trunks let his hand drift over tight thighs, over the curve of the hip, sweeping over knotted muscles in the younger boy's back. "What's happened? You didn't even seem happy to see me when I came to pick you up for the trip, and you've barely seemed interested in anything today!" The already knotted muscles tensed more beneath his hand.

"It's nothing," Goten muttered.

"It's not nothing, Goten." Trunks shifted, forcing Goten onto his back so he could see the other boy's face in the rapidly fading light. "Nothing doesn't make you tense. Nothing wouldn't make you look like you want to cry. What's happened, Chibi? Is it your mom?"

"When isn't it, Trunks?" Goten whispered dejectedly. "When doesn't she make me feel like she should have drowned me at birth?"

"Love, what's happened? You're with me now. You're with me." Trunks kissed Goten, trailed tiny kisses along his jaw. "I'm here, love. Tell me."

"It isn't anything, Trunks! Just my life being my life."

"That has you so tense? That makes you tense up worse when I ask if something's wrong?" Trunks sat up, gathering Goten into his lap. "That's something, Chibi. Please tell me what happened."

"I woke up." Goten buried his face against Trunks' neck. "I woke up, that's all. And I wasn't dreaming and it was my life. I'm tired, Trunks. Just… tired."

Trunks rubbed his back, keeping that up until Goten's breathing changed to a deeper, sleeping pattern, and his muscles relaxed somewhat. _Ah, Chibi! You're stressed out, aren't you? Why don't I ever notice these things until too late? Why did Mom choose _this_ summer to decide to teach me more about running Capsule Corp.? You've been needing me, and I haven't been there for you. No more, Chibi. I'll make you mine, and she won't be able to hurt you ever again!_

He laid the younger boy down, and snugged him tightly against his body, with Goten's head under his chin, the younger boy facing him. For some time, Trunks' thoughts churned on the best way to propose his idea to Goten, then decided not to give the younger boy a choice. Decision made, Trunks slipped into sleep.

He woke first, and woke Goten by the simple expedient of stroking the younger boy's cock until he was moaning and whimpering. "Come for me, lover," he whispered, and was rewarded by the nearly instantaneous streams as Goten's hips jerked. "Good morning."

Goten muttered something blearily, his hips still moving slightly to the slow rhythm that Trunks hadn't stopped. Trunks kissed him, plunging his tongue into the other boy's mouth, swallowing the sleepy protest as his own hips butted impatiently against Goten's backside. He wouldn't take the younger boy yet. Not just yet. He'd wait awhile longer.

Goten came alive under his caresses and kisses, twisting to both offer himself more and to return the favor. The two boys stroked each other, exchanging heated kisses until Trunks pushed Goten down. The younger boy moved eagerly, whimpering a little when Trunks stopped stroking him, but settled himself between Trunks' legs. His tongue flickered out, a delicate taste, then began a steady licking. Trunks let him play awhile, then caught the boy's head with both hands and pressed himself into Goten's open mouth.

The younger one took him, sucking and licking, and only occasionally nipping gently. But he knew what Trunks liked, and mostly sucked, long, full-throated pulls that wrung cries of passion from his older lover. After awhile, he sat up. "I hope that wasn't supposed to be my breakfast!"

"Wretch!" Trunks pulled him up, kissing him lavishly. "Oh, Goten, you don't know how much I've missed you."

"Yeah, I do." For awhile, they just leaned on each other, content with being together. Then Goten's stomach roared. "See, if that was breakfast, there just wasn't enough," he teased. "Go gimme a fish or something. You said you were gonna take care of me."

"I did, didn't I? Okay, you just wait here."


End file.
